


Defeated

by hmweasley



Series: HPFC Easter Egg Hunt 2018 [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Voldemort Wins, Angst, Gen, Gnomes, Past Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2019-04-06 08:02:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14052528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hmweasley/pseuds/hmweasley
Summary: Ginny muses on life since Voldemort won the war while Luna fusses over some gnomes.





	Defeated

**Author's Note:**

> This one is for the 6th AU prompt: VoldemortWins!AU. Though I doubt I'd ever write a chaptered AU like this because of how dark it is, it was fun to try out a short one.

Ginny shuddered as if she could feel the wind whistling outside. She’d been in hiding for so long that she should have been used to how cold she felt. It had been such a long time since she’d truly felt any warmth.

The frequency of days such as this, where the wind howled and the rain beat against the windows, was increasing. Dementors were everywhere, breeding enough to blanket the British Isles in a neverending cover of mist, and word had it that mist was spreading. The witches and wizards of mainland Europe were growing increasingly worried about the mist spreading across the English Channel, only to be followed by Voldemort himself.

What little contact Ginny and Luna had with others of their kind was devoted to spreading word about the progress of the dementors and various other creatures that were flourishing under Voldemort’s rule as well as updates on who could be confirmed dead and who couldn’t be confirmed alive.

They maintained the same underground network they’d had during the war, but back then, Voldemort had been required to hide behind a thin curtain of proper Ministry procedure. With him out in the open, they were even less safe. Even if she’d tried to live as a loyal Voldemort supporter, Ginny would have disappeared, thrown into Azkaban or worse. Probably worse. Voldemort held no forgiveness for those who had once—and still—loved Harry Potter.

Her heart ached at the reminder of Harry’s death. She was thankful to have seen it, if it had to happen, because that was the only thing that convinced her it had been real, but seeing it also meant that her mind replayed the moment at the worst possible times. She could only be thankful that she was no longer awakened by the nightmares.

The familiar clinking of china brought her out of her thoughts to find Luna sitting a cup of tea on the table beside her. She had poured the tea into the same floral cups that she’d been favouring since they’d arrived at this particular hideout. The brightness of the design contrasted sharply with the dim, gloomy atmosphere, and Ginny could only stare accusingly at the cup for a moment before Luna pushed it closer and she gave in, taking a sip.

Once upon a time, the tea might have warmed her, but now it turned to ice water as soon as it hit her throat. Everything she ate felt that way anymore. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d enjoyed eating or drinking. It had become mechanical, something needed to stay alive and nothing more.

Few things provided her with enjoyment. Only sleep gave her blessed relief, and that had only come in the past month when the nightmares had faded. She hadn’t had one in weeks, but she was always cognizant that they could reappear at anytime. All it would take was a dementor or two coming too close to their hideout, and there were always plenty of them nearby.

She wondered idly what the Muggles thought of it. They couldn’t see the dementors, but they could feel them. Muggle Britain was feeling inexplicably hopeless; it had left the government struggling. She’d seen it on the Muggle news when they’d hidden in Muggle houses.

“There are gnomes in the garden,” Luna informed her, somehow able to keep her characteristic dreaminess as she discussed it. “I had a hard time coaxing them out once they realized I was a witch. They’re oddly subdued. I wonder, has anyone done research on the effect of dementors on gnomes? It might be worth looking into.”

Ginny took another sip of her tea, watching Luna blankly. It didn’t bother the blonde girl, who had become used to these one-sided conversations since their group had been reduced to just the two of them.

“I wish I could use my magic,” she continued. “Then perhaps I could help alleviate their suffering for them.”

But, Ginny thought bitterly, we can’t even alleviate it for ourselves, let alone the stupid gnomes.

“They’ll be fine,” she croaked.

The phlegm in her throat that came from lack of use prompted her to take another sip of tea. For once, she thought she could taste it, and she mused that Luna hadn’t given her plain black tea but something spicier. She wondered if that had just been what was in the cabinet or if there’d been a motive behind the decision.

“I certainly hope so,” Luna said. “They don’t deserve to get dragged into a war they didn’t ask for.”

Ginny bit her tongue, knowing that Luna meant well, but she couldn’t help the bitter thoughts. None of them had asked to be drawn into a war except Voldemort and his most ardent followers. Witches and wizards were the ones being targeted. They deserved far more sympathy than the idiotic gnomes who had faced—Ginny was confident of the number—zero casualties in the war.

She couldn’t say that to Luna because it would prompt her friend to remind her that all life was equally valuable, from witches to common garden gnomes. They’d already had the argument, and Ginny held no desire to have it again.


End file.
